A Not So Ordinary Grilled Cheese For A Not So Ordinary Girl

 Hi all!  Yes, I have come back from my winter hibernation.  You might expect me to tell you that I have been up to so many great things, but really I feel like I actually did hibernate.  I actually debated saying my farewells to my blog and calling it quits, but I recently got my inspiration back and have a couple different things to tell you.  For starters, my blog is changing directions.  I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I will be attending culinary school very soon.  In fact, I had my orientation today and start classes on Monday!  I am so so so so excited!  And nervous...I am very inexperienced.  I will be the first to admit that most of my cooking is, well, remedial.  It's true!  I have had success in the dishes I have made only because they are all fairly easy things to make, and pretty hard to mess up (at least in my opinion).  I think the hardest thing I have ever made was my mustard sauce for my sauteed chicken.  I had a little trouble finding the perfect balance between sweet and tangy.  However, I know a lot of students will be in the same boat as me, and I think that I am a fairly fast learner.  Let's hope that I actually do catch on quick!

  With all this new knowledge I will be gaining, I figured that I wouldn't be able to keep it to myself.  So, I have a high suspicion that my blog will be turned away from personal life and have a stronger focus on FOOD!  It's quite fitting that I had already named this blog "You Ate A Sandwich," huh?  Well, there you have it.  That's where I will be. :)
  Now onto my mean grilled cheese.  I have never actually been a fond of anything strictly carb and cheese based, such as grilled cheese sandwiches or quesadillas.  Weird, I know.  Those are generally staple foods for most people.  Maybe I find it too boring, but it also kind of makes me queasy just thinking of the thought of only cheese and bread.  Ickkkkkk.  So, after some recreational research online, I found some inspirational twists on the standard grilled cheese and thought that I should give that a try.  Low and behold my not so ordinary grilled cheese.  Simple ingredients, yet again: mozzarella, pesto, veggie spread, butter, and of course...bread!  I have to warn you though, there's some method to this madness.  You can't just throw all of these ingredients together and put them on the grill!  For instance, I like to put my spread and pesto on either bread slice allowing the cheese to have a "glue" to hold everything in place.  That's simple and straightforward.  Now, before you get to grilling, don't forget to spread butter on the outside of your bread slices to get that amazing golden brown crisp that we all yearn for in our grilled cheese sandwiches.  Ok, ok, this is where some science comes in.  You CANNOT just go and turn your stove or grill up on the highest heat!  The best way to get the golden brown color while having an amazing ooey gooey inside is to cook it slow, like chicken.  I like to set my stove on medium usually.  Well, that's basically it.  Pretty easy, huh?  So don't mess up!
  For those of you who want to experiment with this, I sometimes like to add a fresh slice of tomato in my sandwich.  Maybe adding some spices in the mix to add a little more flavor would be good too.  Send me your modifications and turnouts.  Enjoy!

(Mmmm look at that goo!)